Electric fastener driving machine



July 16, 1946. J. J. OUSSANI V ELECTRIC FASTENER DRI YI NG MACHINE Filed May 19, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 16, 1946. J. J. OUSSANI 2,403,947

ELECTRIC FASTENER DRIVING MACHINE I Filed May 19, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 I 43 v jwuwvbo'p Patented July 16, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,403,947 ELECTRIC FASTENER DRIVING MACHINE James J. Oussani, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application May 19, 1944, Serial No. 536,296

8 Claims.

This invention relates to fastener driving machines, and more particularly to a machine of this type which may be operated by an electric power device controlled by the articles into which the fastener is to be driven, and has for an object to provide an improved simplified construction of an electrically operated stapling or fastener driving machine which is automatically set into operation by insertion of the articles to be stapled into the stapling position.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved and simplified control mechanism for the electrical operating device.

With the foregoing and other objects in view I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific construction and arrangement shown but may embody various changes and modifications within the scop of the invention.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine with parts of the housing broken away to more clearly show the construction;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the control mechanism with parts broken away and shown in section to more clearly illustrate the construction, the parts being in the normal position preparatory to driving a fastener;

Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the control mechanism shifted by the article into which the fastener is to be driven to set the electrical device into operation;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing release of the control to prevent repetition of the fastener driving operation until the work has been removed from the driving position;

Fig. 5'is a partial front elevation and partial section showing the driving mechanism in elevation, and

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the control mechanism.

The machine comprises a housing 10 including 4 not shown, cooperating with an anvil [5 on the base I3 for driving and setting substantially U- shaped staples, the plunger being operated by a lever I6 mounted at the upper part of the housing. The stapling or fastener driving position is shown in the broken lines of Fig. 1. The side edges of the base l3 are inclined to fit the walls [2 and the base is held in this opening by a suitable clamp plate I! seated in a recess in the under side of the base I l and held therein by any suitable means such as the screws l8. This effectively holds the stapling or fastener driving machine in proper position in the housing, but permits its ready removal for inspection or repair by merely removing the plate H. The screw l8 may also be used to fasten resilient or cushion feet to the underside of the housing, such as the rubber cups [9.

The electrical device for operating the fastener driving machine comprises a solenoid 20 mounted within the housing by any suitable means such for example as the bracket 2| secured to the side of the housing. This solenoid is mounted over the fastener driving machine l4 and operates an armature plunger 22 carrying a roller 23 adapted to engage the top of the operating lever IS on the staple driving machine. This plunger is normally held in its uppermost position by a spring 24, and its upward movement is limited by stop v means 25 acting against a rubber or similar cushion washer 2B embracing the plunger at the lower end of the solenoid. It will be understood that as the plunger is forced downwardly by energization of the solenoid the roller 23 depresses the lever IB and the housing M, as indicated in the broken line position of Fig. 1, to drive a staple or other fastener into work such as superposed sheets of paper which may .have been inserted between the housing and the anvil I5. The fastener driving machine shown is of the type driving a substantially U-shaped wire or similar staple with prongs driven through the work and clinched by the anvil.

The control mechanism for the solenoid com prises a carrier 21 mounted in the side wall of the housing in a manner to be adjusted backwardly and forwardly as desired. In the present instance the carrier is mounted on a screw 28 passing through an elongated slot 29 in the side of the housing with a clamping knob 30 on the screw to clamp the carrier in any desired ad! justed position. It is also preferred to mount on the'outer side of the housing a gaug plate 31 provided with a scale 32 to indicate the position of the carrier and more particularly the distance of a control abutment carried thereby from the staple driving point for a purpose presently to be described. It will be evident that by loosening the knob the carrier may be adjusted to any position along the slot 29 in the side of the housing and then clamped or secured in any adjusted position.

The automatic control mechanism for the solenoid is carried by the carrier 27. This carrier may be a sheet of metal or similar material. Mounted in a suitable support 33 on this carrier in suitable insulating blocks 34 and 35 is a pair of conducting strips 38 and 31. With this .mounting the strips are insulated from the carrier 27 and from each other. The strip 35 is a fairly rigid strip carrying an electrical contact 38 while the strip 3'! is a flexible resilient spring strip carrying a contact 39 opposite the contact 38 and normally held in spaced relation thereto by resilient action of the spring strip 3?, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, These contacts are partially enclosed in a housing 40 of insulating material carried by a supporting strip ll at the front of the conductor strip 3i. This also acts as a limit stop to limit forward movement of the strip 37.

Pivoted on the carrier 21 at 42 is a depending lever or arm 43 carrying at its lower end a movable abutment 44 normally resting on top of the base it of the fastener driving machine and this abutment is on the forward end of an arm Ma pivotally supported on the lever 43 at 45. This lever may swing between the two limit stops 4% and 41 and is normally held in forward position against the forward stop 47 by a light spring 48. Pivotally mounted on this lever '43 at all is a pawl 58 of insulating material, this pawl extending through openings 5| and 52in the conductor strips 36 and 3'! respectively, and also through a guide opening 66a in the housing 433. This pawl is recessed on its under side to form a shoulder 53 normally engaging the forward side of spring strip 31, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. Mounted on and extending rearwardly from the pawl 59 i a yieldable spring strip 5 1. This strip is rigid enough to operate pawl 50 and extends to a position under a vertically movable slide 55 mounted on the carrier 21. This slide is secured by the guide rivets 55 passing through elongated slots 51 in the slide, permitting the slide to have limited up and down movement. The slide is normally held in its upper position .by a spring 58. At its upper end this slide has a laterally extending portion 59 lying under a horizontally extending bar 69 carried by the solenoid plunger 22, it being secured thereto by any suitable means such as the bracket 6i. As the solenoid plunger 22 is forced downwardly under action of the solenoid this bar 69 is carried downwardly with it and engages the lateral extension 59 of the slide 55 to depress this slide for a purpose presently to be described. The bar 89 is of such a length and is so located as to engage the extension 59 and depress the slide under such action of the solenoid plunger in all positions of the carrier 21.

Electrical power for operating the solenoid may be supplied from any; suitable outlet from the house, wiring system, such for example as an attachment plug cap 62 adapted to. be plugged into any standard outlet with leads 63 extending tothis machine. One lead 64 is connected to any suitable snap switch 65 mounted on the side of the housing It and to one end of the solenoid 20. The other end of the solenoid is connected by lead 66 to the conductor strip 31, and another lead 61 leads from the conductor strip 35 back to the other lead in the cable 63. A condenser 68 is preferably connected across the conductors 36 and 31 to prevent arcing at the contacts 38 and 39 when the circuit is broken.

The operation is as follows:

Assuming that superposed sheets of paper 69 are to be stapled, the carrier 21 is adjusted along theslot'29to a desired position depending on the distance it is desired that the staple be driven from the edge of these sheets, and the carrier is secured in this position. The operator will then insert the sheets 69 in the slots 19 in the sides of the housing 10 and between the stapling machine housing Hi and the base I3 over the anvil [5 until their edges engage the movable abutment 44, as indicated in Fig. 3. The pawl 59, as will be seen from this figure, is in its lowest position, resting on the bottom edge of the opening 52 in the spring strip 31 and with its shoulder 53 at the forward side of the strip. The papers 89 are moved backwardly and by engagement with the abutment 44 shift the lever arm 43 backwardly from the position of Fig. 2 to the position of Fig. 3 against the top 45. This movement of the lever d3 carries with it the pawl 56 which therefore shifts the spring strip 31 backwardly and with it the contact 39 carrying it into engagement with the contact 38. This closes the circuit through the solenoid which forces downwardly the plunger 22 which in turn acting through the roller 23 depresses the housing M and operating lever IQ of the fastener driving machine and operates it in the usual manner to drive a staple through the work and clinch it. As the plunger 22 moves downwardly it carries with it the bar 69 which engages the extension 58 on slide 55 and shifts this slide downwardly against the extension 54 on the pawl 59. This raises the forward end of the pawl releasing the spring strip 31, a shown in Fig. 4, permitting this spring strip to immediately spring forwardly carrying the contact 39 away from the contact 38 and opening the circuit through the solenoid. This therefore prevents a repeat operation of the solenoid and prevents the driving of a second fastener, and requires that before another fastener can be driven the work 69 be removed from the abutment A l to permit. the lever 43 to be swung forwardly under action of the spring 43 to again permit the pawl 59 to engage over the front side of the strip 31 preparatory to the next driving operation, as shown in Fig. 2. Immediately the circuit is broken the plunger 22 is shifted upwardly under action of the spring 24' carrying with it the bar I6 and releasing the slide 55 which is also shifted upwardly under the action of the spring 53 to release the pawl 50 and permit it to assume its normal position, in order to again energize the solenoid to set another fastener. This action must be permitted and then the abutment 34 and the lever 43 again shifted backwardly under action of the work to be fastened in order to energize the device to again function to drive another fastener.

The carrier El is preferably provided with a guard H forwardly and above the abutment 43, and there also may be a guide '12 above the abutment. Access be secured to mechanism within the housing through an opening !3 in the side wall of the housing covered by a suitable cover plate 1 3 recessed, into the outer surface of the housing.

It will be understood from the above that any suitable type of fastener driving machine or stapling machine may be operated by the electrical device and the fastener or staple may be driven at any desired position from the edge of the work, of course within the limits of the machine, depending on the position to which the carrier 2? and the abutment 44 are adjusted. It will also be understood that the electrical apparatus is prevented from a repeat operation by a single set of contacts so that a second fastener will not be driven until the work has been removed and again inserted to a new desired position for receiving another fastener, and that this control operates immediately to break the circuit and prevent a repeat operation as soon as the first operation has been completed. It will also be seen that the device is of very simple construction, involving a minimum number of parts and therefore will be reliable and effective in operation with minimum liability of failure or getting out of order.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim:

1. An electrically operated fastener driving machine comprising a housing, a fastener driving device mounted in the housing including fastener driving means and a movable member for operating it, electrical means for operating said device comprising a solenoid mounted over the device provided with an armature plunger engaging said member, a carrier, one side wall of the housin being provided with an elongated slot, means for mounting the carrier including means extending through the slot permitting adjustment of the carrier to diiferent positions along the slot and a hand grip on said latter means for clamping the carrier in adjusted positions, a control switch for the electrical device mounted on the carrier, a movable abutment mounted on the carrier adapted to be shifted by the articles to be operated upon as they are inserted to fastening position, means operated by shifting of the abutment to close the switch to operate said electrical means, and means operated by the electrical meansto cause opening of the circuit to prevent continued operation.

2. An electrically operated fastener driving machine comprising a housing including a base provided with an elongated opening, a fastener drivin device including a base seated in said opening, means for securing said latter base, a movable abutment adapted to be shifted by the articles to be operated upon as they are inserted to fastening position, an electrical means for operating said device, a pair of normally separated contacts connected with said electrical means and a source of current, a support for said abutment, a catch carried by said support and adapted to engage one of said contacts on movement of the support by the abutment to shift said contact to engage the other contact to close the circuit to the electrical means, means operated by operation of the electrical means to release the catch, and means to shift the contact to open the circuit on release of said catch.

3. An electrically operated fastener driving machine comprising a housing including a base provided with an elongated opening having'its edge surfaces inclined downwardly and outwardly, a fastener driving device including a base having similarly inclined surfaces at its outer upp r edges seated against the first surfaces, means for retaining the latter base in this position, an electrical means in the housing for operating said device, a movable abutment mounted in position to be shifted by the articles to be operated upon as they are-inserted to fastening position, a control switch for said electrical device, means operated by movement of the abutment to close said switch to operate the device, and means operated by the electrical means to cause opening of the switch to prevent repeat operation of the device without return of the abutment to its original position.

4. An electrically operated fastener driving machine comprising a housing including a base, a fastener driving device mounted on the base including a vertically movable operating member, a solenoid mounted in the housing over said device, a Vertically movable plunger operated by the solenoid including means to directly engage the operating member to shift it downwardly to drive a fastener, a movable abutment in the lower part of the housing adapted to be shifted by the articles to be operated upon as they are inserted to fastening position, a control switch for the solenoid, means operated by shifting of the abutment to close said switch to operate said plunger, and means operated by the plunger to cause opening of the switch to prevent repeat operation of the solenoid before the abutment returns to its original position.

5. An electrically operated fastener driving machine comprising a housing, a fastener drivin device in the lower part of the housing including a depressible operating member, a solenoid mounted in the housing above said member, a vertically movable plunger operated by the solenoid, means operated by the plunger engaging said operating member, a longitudinally adjustable carriage, a movable abutment mounted on the carriage adapted to be shifted by the articles to be operated upon as they are inserted to fastening position, a pair of normally separated contacts on the carrier connected with said solenoid and a source of current, a catch on the carrier operated by movement of said abutment to shift one of the contacts to engage the other to close the circuit, a vertically movable slide mounted on the carriage adapted to release said catch, a longitudinal bar carried by the plunger over said slide and of a length so that it is adapted to shift said slide in all positions of the carrier to release the catch on operation of the plunger, and means for shifting the contact to open the circuit on release of said catch.

6. An electrically operated fastener driving machine comprising a housing, a fastener driving device mounted in the housing including a depressible operating member, a solenoid mounted over the device, a plunger operated by the solenoid including means to engage said operating member, a carrier, means mounting the carrier for horizontal adjustment in the housing, a movable abutment mounted on the carrier adapted to be shifted by the members to be operated upon as they are inserted in fastening position, a pair of normally separated contacts mounted on the carrier and connected with the solenoid to control its operation, a catch mounted on the carrier and .adapted for shifting one of said contacts to engage the other to close the circuit to the solenoid, means connecting the abutment with the catch to shift the contact, a vertically movable release member mounted on the carrier adapted to release the catch, and a bar connected with the plunger and of a length to engage the release member in all positions of the carrier to release the catch on operation of the plunger to permit the contact to move to open the circuit.

'7. An electrically operated fastener driving machine comprising a housing, a fastener driving device in the housing, means for operating the device including an upright solenoid, a plunger operated thereby, a carrier mounted for horizontal adjustment in the housing, a pair of upright fiat conductors mounted on the carrier including contacts, and one of said conductors being movable and including resilient means normally retaining the contacts in spaced relation, means electrically connecting said conductors With the solenoid, an upright lever pivoted to the carrier, a movable abutment carried by said lever in position to be shifted by the Work articles as they are inserted in fastening position, a catch pivoted to said lever resting on a horizontal edge carried by the movable conductor and provided with a shoulder adapted to engage one side of the movable conductor to shift its contact to engagement with the other to close the circuit to the solenoid, a vertically movable member mounted on the carrier adapted to release said catch, and a horizontal bar connected with the plunger and of a length to engage said movable member in all positions of the carrier on operation of the plunger to release the catch and permit the contacts to separate and open the circuit.

8; An electrically operated fastener driving machine comprising a housing, a fastener driving device mounted in, the housing, an upright solenoid, a plunger operated by the solenoid to operate said device, a carrier mounted for horizontal adjustment in the housing, a pair of fiat upright conductors carrying contacts, one of said conductors being resilient to normally maintain the contacts separated, said conductors being provided with aligned openings, a lever pivotally mounted on the carrier, a catch carried by said lever and passing through said openings, said catch having a shoulder to engage the resilient conductor to shift it, a movable abutment carried by the lever and adapted to be shifted by the work pieces when they are inserted to fastening position to Shift the catch and the movable contact to engage the other contact to close the circuit to the solenoid, a vertically movable member mounted on the carrier adapted when depressed to release the catch to permit the contacts to separate, and a horizontal bar connected with the plunger and of a length to engage said vertically movable member in all positions of the carrier to depress said member on operation of the plunger.

, JAMES J OUSSANI. 

